The case of Imane Khelif: How women athletes are always on trial
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif won Olympic gold amid media scrutiny that overshadowed her athletic achievements, in a global moral panic over whether she was truly a woman. Sensationalist media reporting and online abuse that went viral globally was led by sexism, transphobia and racism, and fueled by gender disinformation. In Serbian media, headlines and narratives …
Weaponising Fear: How Disinformation Exploits ‘Child Protection’ to Undermine Trans Rights in North Macedonia
In North Macedonia, trans women remain a relatively rare and marginalised group, with limited visibility and representation in public life. However, this has not stopped anti-gender movements and conservative groups from exploiting the issue, often using parents and children to stir controversy and undermine trans rights in the country. Disinformation often revolves around the theme …
The silent power of words: Unraveling Gender Disinformation in Albanian Media
Gender disinformation offers a vital lens through which we can better understand the intricate ways in which media perpetuates inequality and reinforces imbalances of power. Alfred Peza’s resignation from Albanian Public Radio Television (RTSH) has exposed profound challenges in media representation and journalistic ethics. What initially appeared to be a routine administrative transition quickly became …
RTCG and Reporting on Trans Rights: When Public Broadcaster Allows Religious Leaders to Judge
In March 2024, Radio Television of Montenegro (RTCG), through its broadcasts of the programmes “Dnevnik” and “Argumenti”, as well as in an article on its website, contributed to spreading gender disinformation by presenting unbalanced views, dominated by religious figures, on LGBTIQ+ rights. The topic was the Draft Law on Legal Gender Recognition Based on Self-Determination. …
REGIONAL MEDIA MONITORING: Ethnicity and gender identity remain the main targets of hate speech as political targeting is on the rise
Reporting Diversity Network has been continuously conducting media monitoring of hate speech on a regional level for almost four years. Our latest set of reports show findings from May 2022 until December 2023. Gender identity and ethnicity remain the most targeted identities, as more than half of all recorded cases across the region referred to …
TROLL OF THE MONTH – SELECTION CRITERIA
The goal of the Reporting Diversity Network 2.0 monitoring is to identify and document the most significant cases (‘incidents’) of hate speech and divisive discourses in the Western Balkans media. Incidents are defined by the speaker regardless of where they occurred, but monitoring refers to their media coverage. They can originate in the Parliament, party …
Who is Out to Get Whom?
The Impact of Gendered Disinformation in Kosovo In Kosovo, activists are raising the red flag on the rising impact of anti-gender movements and their agendas targeting human rights. Anti-gender movements have had a significant impact on the sexual politics of the region in the last couple of years. Experiences of feminist and LGBTQI+ activists in …
Deletion of the term gender identity from the Criminal Code of the Republic of Srpska
The initiative was launched due to incorrect information and prejudice In its 11th session held on 30 October 2024, the National Assembly of Republika Srpska (RS) adopted the Law on Amendments to the Criminal Code of Republika Srpska, which replaces the words “gender identity” with the words “other personal characteristics”. The words “gender identity” are …
Monthly Monitoring Highlights October: Ethnic division and sexism alongside unprofessional media reporting in the Western Balkans
During October, the RDN monitoring team detected a range of hateful narratives and discourse fuelled by ethnic discrimination, anti-LGBTIQ+ rhetoric, sexism and unprofessional media reporting. Sexism in Kosovo and Montenegro In Kosovo, a debate was held on TV7+ – a popular television channel in Albania and Kosovo – which focused on the topic of family …
TROLL OF THE MONTH: Chairman of the Assembly of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, Džafer Alić
The Balkan Troll of the Month is an individual, a group of individuals or a media outlet that spreads hate based on gender, ethnicity, religion, or other diversity categories. The Balkan Troll is selected based on hate speech incidents identified across the Western Balkans region. During an interview with Džafer Alić, Chairman of the Assembly …
